Brake, clutch, or the like



March 24, 1931. H. c. KING BRAKE, CLUTCH, OR THE LIKE Filed March 20, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l I N V EN TOR. Homer L'Jfizg ATTORNEYS March 24, 1931. H c. KING BRAKE, CLUTCH, OR THE LIKE Filed March 20, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN 7 OR Homer 6.16125 A TTORNEYS March 24, 1931. H. c: KING BRAKE, CLUTCH, OR THE LIKE Filed March 20, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q m .&

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4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 20, 1928 INVENTOR. Homer 6'. King 03 M 1 854% A TTORNE Y3 Patented Mar. 24, 1931 more STATES HOMER (I. KING, OF DUQUESNE, PENNSYLVANIA BRAKE, CLUTCH, OR THE LIKE Application filed March 20, 1928. Serial No. 263,029.

The invention relates to devices for transmitting or absorbing energy such as brakes, clutches, power transmission devices or the like and has as an object the'provision of a device working upon. the principle of compression of a fluid to transmit energy from a moving portion to a stationary portion or between two movin portions. 1

It is a further o ject of the invention to provide a device of the character referred to having novel means of control, which control means shall be more simple and certain in action than former devices of this character. It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of this character which shall be capable of transmitting aportion only of energy from one part to the other, or of transmitting the whole of such energy which when utilized as a brake will provide a complete lock against relative movement between the parts. I

It is a'further object of the invention to provide a novel form of cam.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment of the invention and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a vehicle axle imvertical section with the spokes of the wheel omitted;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionon line 22 of Figure 1*;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 33 of Figure 2 with the spokes of the wheel omitted;

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical section on line H of Figure 3 on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is an end view;

Fig. dis a plan view of the control cam;

Fig. 7 is a central vertical section of a modified form;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on line 88 of Figure 7;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on line 9--9 of Figure 7 with the parts shown in elevation- 1 i Fig 10 is a detail plan view of a plunger opening; and

Figs. 11 and 12 are detail perspective views of parts of a plunger.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 the device is applied to a vehicle wheel, a front wheel being chosen for purposes of illustra- .there is shown a flange 15 and the shaft 12 '50 is shown as extending at 16 to the interior of the brake housing transmitting the weight of the vehicle to a sleeve 17 carried by the housing, a bushing of bearingmetal, as bronze, being shown at '18 interposed between the shaft 16 and sleeve 17 and shown as secured to the shaft as by means of screws 19. The flange 15 revolving with the wheel is closely encircled by a stationary ring 20 desirably formed of a bearing metal, the joint between the stationary ring 20 and the revolving flange 15 occurring at 21, which in the structure shown comes behind the central portion of the wheel about the hub, therefore excluding dirt. Y5 To provide lubrication for the joint 21, the housing is shown as formed with a channel 22. To introduce lubricant into the channel 22, there is shown a cutaway portion 23 communicating with a passage 24 provided 33 in a tube 25, a lubricating fitting being provided at 26 for the introduction of lubricant. The housing of the brake as shown con prises a disc 27 carrying the sleeve 17 integral therewith and desirably formed at its 35 lower portion integral with the steering knuckle 28. For convenience in assembly, the king pin which seats at its lower end in the knuckle 28 projects above the end 29 of the axle and is journalled in bushing 30, which bushing has extending plate-like members 31, 32 secured to the disc 27 as by means i of cap screws 33,34, see Figure 1. A cap 35 is shown as placed upon the upper end of. bushing and provided with a lubricating fitting at 36.

The brake housing further comprises an annular ring 37 rigidly secured to the disc 27 and carrying a rim 38 having its edge upturned into an annular flange 39 secured to which ring 40 an annular ring 40 as by means of screws 41, is secured to the ring 20 as by means of screws 42.

Revolving with the hub of the wheel and flange 15, there is shown annular block 43 havmg annular rings 44, 45 rigidly secured to each side thereof as by means of screws 46, which rings 44, 45 are formed with a rebate at 47, 48 to provide an annular space, within which space a ring 49 projects, which ring is rigidly secured to the rim 38 as by means of screws 50. The block 43 is also shown as formed with an annular recess or chamber 51 formed concentric with the edge of the block and which when the device is assembled is concentric with the ring 49.

To secure the hub 11 firmly to the block 43, there are shown bolts 52 passing through the hub, the inner ends of the spokes, the flange 15, the ring 44, the block 43, and engaging a threaded disc 53 recessed into the plate 45. The need for disc 53 arises from the fact that it is desired to make as much of the device as possible of aluminum or aluminum alloy for lightness and since no great tensile strength is required of rings 44, 45, and block 43, it is desired to use the soft metal for theseparts. Therefore the discs 53 desirably of steel are provided.

As indicated in Figure 4, the discs are formed with screwthreaded openings concentric with their outlines or otherwise out of concentric relation, thereby preventing revolution of discs 53 in their recesses.

The annular recess 51 in common with the central holes 54 of the device will be filled with liquid such as oil.

To transmit energy from the involving block 43 to the stationary housing to be absorbed thereby, the said block is shown as provided with radial plungers 55 which may be rectangular in cross section and which slide in recesses 56 in the block. The plungers are shown as retracted into the recesses by means of coil springs 57 acting in tension, shown in Figure2 as anchored at 58 at the bottom of the hole 59 in the plunger and as anchored at the remaining end by carrying an end of sprin verse bar 61 extending across the hole 59 be tween the sides of the plunger.

As shown the plungers are adapted to be thrust outwardly against the tension of springs 57 by means of a pin 62 screwthreaded into the bar 61 and extending through openings in the block 43, a guiding housing 63 being desirably carried by the opening in the block, which housing not only serves as a guide for the pin 62 but also as a means for preserving the alignment of spring 57. The plungers 55 will therefore normally be retracted to a positienfiush with the block 43 and by means to be described maybe projected from the surface of the block .as inuch as desired up to the point g over a trans-' to the housing,-the housing is shown as provided with a stationary abutment 64 secured to the rim. 38 as by means of screws 65, the abutment forming a close fit with the recess '51. Obviously if the abutment were formed with square ends it would be fully operative, but should one of the springs 57 become broken and its plunger 55 be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force, its contact with a square ended abutment might cause possible damage to the apparatus, although with the cushion of oil between the parts even in that event it would probably only lock the wheel against rotation. To avoid possible damage the abutment 64 is shown as cam shaped at its ends so that there can be no possible damage to the apparatus if a plunger 55 is not totally retracted under influence of-the spring.

T 0 control the action of the plungers there is shown a cam 66 shown as slidably mounted upon the sleeve 17 and adapted to be thrust inwardly by means of a pin 67 projecting through the disc 27 and as shown formed with a downwardly projecting arm 68 having its free end secured to the face of the cam as by a screw 69. Any desirable linkage 7 0' may be provided for controlling the sliding movement of the pin 67, which linkage will include spring means for retaining the cam in the position of Figure 2.

As shown the cam provides a cylindrical portion 71, and the base 72 of the cam is substantially elliptical, the wall of the cylinder 71 being tangential to a fiat side of the ellipse and the ellipse is desirably formed by the movement of a right line in contact with the wall of the cylinder 71 at one end of the cam and with the ellipse at the remaining end producing a cam of an oblique frusto conical form having an elliptical base 72.

As shown in Figure 3 the cam is positioned with its thinnest side opposite the center of abutment 64 and the form of its outline is such that the plunger under control of the cam in any amount. of extent from the face of the recess 51 will recede in accordance with the cam surface of abutment 64 during the revolution of the block without providing wear between the plunger and the block.

The pins 62 are each desirably provided with an anti-friction member 73. It will be seen that when the cam 66 is forced inwardly the amount of power required to overcome the tension of springs 57 will not be that which would be required .to force the cam surface under the pins directly from the apex to the base of the cam, when the Wheel is turning, as the path of contact between the pin and the cam will be a spiral path, thus providing'for very easy control of the plungers.

LCD

it To further resist leakage the housing is- To drain oil from the interior of the-device there is shown a drain tube 74, Figure 2, provided with a cap 75. To introduce oil into the device one of the screws is shown in Figure 3 as of tubular form closed by a screw plug 76.

In normal operation of the parts, when the plungers 55 are wholly retracted, the oil in the recess 51 will be stationary and there will be no drag of the stationary part upon the moving part. \Vhen the plungers are slightly extended the liquid will be slightly compressed between the plungers and the block 64 thus transmitting a degree of energy depending upon the extent of projection of the plungers, and when the plungers are fully extended as shown in Figure 3 the parts will be locked except for any leakage which may be present. A slight degree of leakage may be found desirable to lessen a too sudden stoppage of relative movement.

In Figure 7 there is shown a modification of the device wherein the plungers are cylindrical in outline. As there shown the device comprises the shafts and 81, from one of which motion is to be applied or restrained. A roller bearing 82 is shown to support the shaft 80 and a ball bearing 83 to support a hub 84 carried by the shaft 81. The shaft- 81 also carries rigid or integral therewith in addition to the hub 84 the disc 85 carrying a housing and a stub shaft 86 projecting to the interior of the housing upon which the cam-87 is shown as sliding, the stub shaft 86 being journalled at 88 in a recess 89 in the flange 90 rigid with the shaft 80, a bearing material bushing 91 being desirably inter- V posed. Y

The flange 90 is shown as formed with the annular member 92 having the annular chamber 93 into which the abutment 94 projects in the manner of the abutment 64 in themodification already described.

Desirably a ring 95 of bearing material is carried by the interior of the annular flange 96 forming a portion of the housing rigid with the housing disc 85.

To complete the housing there is shown a ring 97 secured to the annular fla'nge96 as by means of bolts 98, and the ring is shown as provided with an annular flange 99 to as sist in preventing leakage fromthe housing.

shown as provided with oil rings 100, 101 and 102 seated in appropriate recesses in the housing and block 92.

To transmit pressure of oil to the abutment 94 in this form of the invention, there are shown cylindrical plungers 103 slidably mounted in circular openings 104 in the block 92, the plungers, as indicated in. Figure 10 being of greater diameter than the width of the annular chamber 93 whereby the path for leakage past the plungers will be increased. As shown the plungers have a hollow 104 therein housing a spring 105 acting in tension-upon the same principle as the springs in the form of the device of Figures 1 to 6 inclusive. The spring is shown as anchored at one end to a pin 106 which in the assembly of the device is passed into an opening inthe block and is retained therein by the screwthreaded extremity thereof at-107, see Figure 7. The spring is anchored at its remaining end upon a pin 108 seating in the recesses 109 in the upper edge of the plunger and the hollow 104 in the plunger is shown as covered by a cap 110 having screw threaded engagement with the exterior of a reduced portion 1110f the plunger.

The cap is shown in Figure 12 as having recesses 113 that fit down upon the pin 106 when the plungers are retracted in the block.

The caps 110 are desirably formed of a hearing material.

Outward movement of the plungers by action of cam 87 will cause the plungers to slide upon the pins 106 working in the slots 114 in the plungers. .To reduce friction between the end of the plunger and the cam 87.. the plungers are shown as provided at their ends with anti-friction balls 115.

To control the cam 87 there is shown in Figure 7 a pin 116 sliding in the block and connected at its ends with a grooved ring 117 maintained against revolution upon the shaft 81 by means ofa feather key 118.

In Figure 7 also there is shown a gear 119 secured to the flange 90 of the shaft 80 as by means of cap screws 120, the gear being provided when the device is tobe used to supply power to a gear driven device.

' To further resist leakage from the chamber 93 and to lubricate the surface between the flange 99 of the housing and the annular portion 121 of the block, there is shown a grease chamber made by registering. semicircular, annular grooves 122 in the block 123 in the flange 99, a grease fitting 124 being provided for the introduction. of lubricant. Alike fitting125 is shown to introduce lubricant adjacent the oil rings 100, 101.

An oil drain plug is shown at 126 which may be used for drainage and for introduction of oil into the device and in addition thereto one of the cap screws 127 shown as securing the abutment 94 to the housing may be provided with a passage 128 shown as closed by means of a screw plug 129 through which oil may be introduced to the chamber The stub shaft86 is desirably formed out served.

To return anyleakage fromthe chamber 93 to the interior of the block instead ofr'permitting the same to leak to the exterior, there is shown in'Figure 7 a passage 131 through theblock and communicating with the joint between the ring 97 and the face of the block. A further lubricant fitting 132 is shown in Figure 7, to introduce lubricant if desirablev ber, an abutment carried by the second named member projecting into said chamber, a plunger carried by said first named member slidable into said chamber, resilient means normally retracting said plunger from said chamber, control means to act against said resilient means to project said plunger into said chamber, said control means formed to permit retraction of the plunger as it approaches and passes said abutment.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a member having an annular liquid holding chamber, a second member associated therewith for rotation relative thereto, an abutment carried by the last named member projecting into said chamber, a plunger carried by said first named member slidable into said chamber to a position to compress liquid against said abutment, resilient means normally retracting said plunger from said chamber, control means non-rotatable with respect to said first named member acting to project said plunger into said chamber against the action of said resilient means and formed to permit retraction of said plunger from the chamber as it approaches and passes said abutment.

3. In a device for the class described, in combination, an annular member having a circumferential liquid containing chamber in its periphery, a housing outwardly closing said chamber, said member and housing arranged for relative rotation, an abutment carried by the housing, projecting into said chamber and totally obstructing the same at one portion, a plunger slidably mounted in a radial recess in said member movable into said chamber to positions to partially or total- 1y obstruct the same, means normally retracting said plunger from the chamber, and con- 3 trol means for projecting .said plunger into the chamber against the influence of said retracting means, said control means formed to allow said plunger to recede into the recess as it approaches the abutment.

In a device of the class described, in combination, a journaled drive shaft having rigidly secured thereto a disc carrying an annular member having an annular chamber in-itsFperiPhery, a-driven shaft journaled in alignment with said drive shaft and having each face of the annular member, an abutment carried by said housing, projecting into a said chamber a nd totally obstructing the same at one portion, a plunger sliding in a radial opening in said member reciprocable into and out of said chamber, resilient means to normally retract said plunger into said open ing, control means located within said annular member acting to project said plunger into said chamber to partiallyvor totally obstruct the chamber, said control means formed to permit retraction of the plunger as the abutment is approached.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination, coacting members arranged for relative rotation, one of said members having an annular chamber and a radially reciprocable plunger slidable into and out of said chamber, the remaining member comprising a housing closing said chamber and carrying an abutment projecting into said chamber, means normally retracting said plunger from the chamber, control means non-rotatable with respect to said housing and when actuated .serving to project said plungerinto the chamber, said control means comprising an eccentric frusto conical cam havingone side perpendicular to its base, said side standing in radial alignment with said abutment whereby permitting said plunger to recede from said chamber as it approaches the abutment when under the influence of the control member.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination, a driving and a driven shaft journaled in alignment, an annular block carried by one of said shafts having an annular liquid containin peripherally open chamber, a housing carried by the remaining shaft covering the opening of said chamber and carrying an abutment projecting thereinto, an effective extension of the housing-carrying shaft journaled within the end of the block-carrying shaft, a plurality of. radial plungers slidably carried b said block and reciprocable'into said cham er to compress liquid against said abutment, resilient means to normally retract the plungers from the chamber, an oblique, frusto conical cam non-rotatably and slidably mounted on said extension serving when actuated to project the plungers into the chamber and positioned to permit of their retraction from the chamber as they approach and pass saidabutment, said annular block and chamber filled with a liquid.

HOMER 0. KING. 

